Nets president Thorn receives contract extension

East Rutherford, NJ (Sports Network) – New Jersey Nets president Rod Thorn
signed a multi-year contract extension on Thursday. As per club policy, terms
of the agreement were not announced.

Thorn was named president of the Nets on June 2, 2000. Prior to that, he had
spent four decades serving in the NBA as a player, assistant coach, head
coach, general manager and league official. Thorn was also tabbed as New
Jersey’s chief executive officer this past February.

“Rod Thorn is one of the most knowledgeable and respected basketball
executives in the NBA, and we are fortunate to have him as president of the
Nets for many years to come,” said Nets principal owner Bruce Ratner. “I have
the utmost confidence that under Rod’s continued leadership, the Nets are in
great hands heading into this season and the future.”

As president and general manager of the Nets, Thorn has had the responsibility
of managing the basketball operations of the organization, including all team
personnel and player-related issues. He engineered two major deals in June of
2001.

On June 27, Thorn traded the Nets’ first pick (seventh overall) in the 2001
NBA Draft (Eddie Griffin) to the Houston Rockets in exchange for first-round
picks Richard Jefferson, Jason Collins and Brandon Armstrong. One day later,
he worked out a six-player blockbuster deal with Phoenix that landed Jason
Kidd in New Jersey and sent Stephon Marbury to the Suns.

“I am very appreciative of the confidence Bruce (Ratner) and the other owners
have shown in our basketball management team,” said Thorn. “And I assure you
that all of us will work diligently in trying to perpetuate and enhance our
franchise and our organization.”

Before taking on his current role with the Nets, Thorn spent 14 years working
for the NBA’s league office, where he served as executive vice president of
basketball operations. He was also the chair of the senior men’s basketball
committee for USA Basketball (1992-2000).